Understanding Servant Leadership

Dwight L. Moody once said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.”(1) This evening’s message will discuss something called servant leadership; and servant leadership is when a leader humbles him or herself to the level as those who are served.

Walter C. Jackson, one of my former professors at Campbellsville University, stated that “servant leadership, as portrayed in the gospels, is difficult to maintain in a climate where increasingly larger segments of the Christian population prefer ‘super-leader’ styles.”(2) A super-leader is someone who often “lords it over” others, which I will discuss in a few moments.

The concept of servant leadership is somewhat foreign to many Christians; therefore, in our message tonight, we will seek to discover some things about this little-known style of leadership. We will begin by looking at the wrong attitude for servant leadership. We will then look at three points defining what this kind of leadership “is” and “is not,” and conclude by examining the six primary characteristics of servant leadership as presented by Robert Dale.

James and John Had the Wrong Attitude for Leadership (vv. 35-41)

35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Him, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 And He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 37 They said to Him, “Grant us that we may sit, one on Your right hand and the other on Your left, in Your glory.” 38 But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” 39 They said to Him, “We are able.” So Jesus said to them, “You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I am baptized with you will be baptized; 40 but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared.” 41 And when the ten heard it, they began to be greatly displeased with James and John.

We see in verses 37-38, that James and John asked Jesus if they could be His right and left hand men in glory. Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking!” He then informed them that He wasn’t the one who decided who sat on His right and on His left in the kingdom; only God the Father could do that.

In verse 38, Jesus asked James and John if they were able to drink the same cup and be baptized with the same baptism that He would. The cup is a metaphor for suffering, and baptism is a metaphor for being plunged into calamity.(3) Jesus’ death on the cross was the ultimate act of service ever recorded in history. He performed a service for mankind that can never be repaid; for He saved the world from its sins. When Jesus asked this question of James and John, He was hoping they would realize that greatness is achieved through service.

When Jesus asked this question He was expecting to hear them reply with the word “No,” because no one ever would, or could, sacrifice themselves as He did; for no one can save the world from its sins. Jesus received a very cocky answer from them, as James and John replied, “We are able.” When they told Jesus that they were able to do as He would; right here, they demonstrated their prideful attitude that would hinder them from effective kingdom service.

In verses 39-40, Jesus basically told them, “Yes, you can offer your life in a similar manner as Me by giving yourself to be martyred, but that’s not going to win you any favor in My Father’s kingdom.” You see, “They believed that they could endure a little hardship if Jesus would grant them seats of power and corner offices.”

If they suffered like Jesus, however, it would have been for the wrong reason. They wouldn’t have suffered out of love for their fellow man, but out of the hope of reward. John R. W. Stott, in his book The Cross of Christ, states that our world “(and even the church) is full of Jameses and Johns, go-getters and status-seekers, hungry for honor and prestige, measuring life by achievements, and everlastingly dreaming of success.”(4)

David Garland, in the NIV Application Commentary, states, “One need not look far to see preachers who do not preach to reach the people but preach to reach the top, to become ecclesiastical superstars. They see discipleship to Jesus in terms of rank and privilege. They assume that Jesus is someone who will achieve things for them and give them the status of the lords.”(5)